Have you recently opened the shower door and noticed the track full of gross-looking gunk? The track accumulates soap scum, moisture, and everyday dirt, eventually leading to rust stains, mildew, and mold growth. Find out how to clean shower tracks and keep them in tip-top shape.
It’s easy to miss the shower door track when bathroom cleaning since we usually keep the door closed. We clean other areas in the shower enclosure, from the tiles and shower glass to the faucets. But, we neglect the area that needs attention the most; the shower door tracks.
The door track is part of the sliding door in the shower that allows the door to slide open and close. If you don’t clean and maintain it regularly, the track fills with gunk, and the door no longer slides smoothly. Fortunately, cleaning shower door tracks with baking soda, white vinegar, and other home remedies is pretty simple.
Cleaning Shower Door Tracks
The shower door track has many corners and crevices, making it challenging to clean. However, it’s not as difficult as you think. Learn ways to clean glass shower door tracks to remove soap residue, mildew, hard water stains, and other bathroom gunk.
Cleaning Shower Tracks With Baking Soda
Sodium bicarbonate sounds like a unique product, yet you probably have a box in the kitchen right now. Most know it as baking soda; this alkaline powder is perfect for removing stubborn stains. Learn how to remove mildew from metal shower door rails with baking soda.
Mix hot water with baking soda to form a thick paste, and use a cloth to apply it to the metal shower track. Leave it for half an hour as it breaks down the grime layers, or longer for stuck-on gunk.
Scrub the paste into the track edges with an old toothbrush. Use Q tips to get into small corners and other spaces. Rinse the toothbrush and use fresh cotton swabs as needed until you remove the grime.
Wet a cloth with clean water, wring out the excess liquid, and wipe down the shower track to remove residue. Continue rinsing the metal until it is clean and sparkling.
How to Remove Mildew From Metal Shower Door Rails
White vinegar is excellent for cleaning shower tracks since its acidity loosens grime. It also kills mildew and bacteria and eliminates hard water stains, making it ideal for cleaning a shower door track.
Fill a bottle with half water and half lemon juice or distilled white vinegar. Shake the container well and spray it into the shower track. If you prefer something less messy, soak cotton balls in the liquid and press them inside the rail from one side to the other.
Let the vinegar or lemon juice rest for several minutes as it dissolves hard water deposits, scum, and mildew. Scrub the track with a mildly abrasive sponge and use an old toothbrush to clean hard-to-reach areas. Dampen a cloth with warm water and swipe the rail clean. Rinse and repeat until you remove all residue.
How to Clean Shower Tracks With a Magic Eraser
A Magic Eraser is a melamine sponge famous for removing tough stains. This foam-like sponge acts like superfine sandpaper, gently scrubbing away dirt without damaging the surface. Discover how to remove mildew from metal shower door rails and clean glass shower doors with this cleaning eraser.
To get mold off shower rails, dampen the corner of a Magic Eraser. Wring out the excess water and press the sponge corner into the track. Begin at one end and work to the other as you press and scrub the track interior.
Rinse the sponge as it gets dirty, or use fresh corners as you clean the track. You can also use the sponge to remove hard water stains from the glass door.
Use a cotton swab or toothbrush and dish soap if you have difficulty getting the sponge into tight spaces. Once the track is clean, rinse it with water and dry it with paper towels.
Things to Avoid When Cleaning Shower Tracks
Most shower door frames consist of stainless steel or aluminum, and some cleaners and methods ruin the material. Find out what not to do when cleaning the shower door to ensure you don’t cause scratches, discoloration, and other surface damage.
Shower Track Cleaning No-No’s
Stainless steel and anodized aluminum are strong materials less susceptible to damage. Nonetheless, certain cleaners may discolor metal surfaces. While white vinegar and lemon juice are great for removing mildew from metal shower door rails, it’s vital to add water. Vinegar and lemons are acidic, and cleaning the track without diluting it with water first may harm the metal.
Avoid cleaning the tracks with chlorine bleach and other harmful chemicals. The sodium hypochlorite in bleach causes pitting and staining. Likewise, never scrub the metal with harsh abrasives. Instead, always use a soft-bristle brush or gentle scrubbing pad to clean shower door rails.
Preventing Mildew Growth in Shower Door Rails
Since we don’t want to spend our free time cleaning shower tracks to remove slimy gunk and stains, we put together tips to keep them cleaner longer. Discover ways to stop mildew and mold growth from accumulating in the shower and keep it free from soap scum buildup.
Shower Enclosure Maintenance
Keep an extra towel in the bathroom to wipe down the shower walls, glass, and tracks after showering. This lessens the chance for mildew growth and cuts down shower cleaning.
Turn on the bathroom fan, and Leave the shower door open for a while after your shower to allow air circulation. Use diluted vinegar or lemon juice and baking soda to wash between glass shower door tracks to keep them mold and dirt-free.
A sliding glass door adds elegance to the shower while keeping water within the enclosure. Nevertheless, water and gunk still get into the track over time. It’s vital to maintain and clean shower door tracks regularly to ensure they work correctly and stop scum buildup and mildew growth.
We hope that learning how to clean shower tracks keeps your sliding shower doors dirt-free, and we’d love it if you’d share our tips for cleaning a shower door track with your family and friends on Facebook and Pinterest.